Method of and apparatus for fabricating contacts and assembling them in groups with connector blocks

ABSTRACT

Contact assemblies are produced in a straight line process and are individually inserted into a temporary holder formed of styrofoam or the like, with linear indexing of the holder at the required pitch to produce even spacing of the contact assemblies in a group. The holder is brought adjacent to a clamping fixture which clamps the exposed ends of the contact assemblies and removes them from the temporary holder and inserts them in unison into a prefabricated connector block.

United States Patent Albert 1F. Pityo;

William D. Pityo, both of Pinellas Park, Fla. 873,974 Nov. 4, 1969 Aug. 31, 1971 Federal Tool Engineering Co.

Cedar Grove, NJ.

Inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee METHOD OF AND APPARATUS IFOR FABRICATING CONTACTS AND ASSEMBLING THEM IN GROUPS WITH CONNECTOR BLOCKS 14 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 29/630 C, 29/203 B, 29/203 D, 228/5 Int. Cl Il10lr 9/00, H05k 13/04 Field of Search 29/630 C,

[56] Reterencm Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,258,830 7/1966 Pityo 29/630 C 3,310,216 3/1967 Kollner et a1. 228/5 3,550,250 12/1970 Cervenka et a1 29/203 D Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager Att0rneyB. P. Fishburne, Jr.

ABSTRACT: Contact assemblies are produced in a straight line process and are individually inserted into a temporary holder formed of Styrofoam or the like, with linear indexing of the holder at the required pitch to produce even spacing ofthe contact assemblies in a group. The holder is brought adjacent to a clamping fixture which clamps the exposed ends of the contact assemblies and removes them from the temporary holder and inserts them in unison into a prefabricated connector block.

PATENTEU AUG31 lsn sum 1 [1F 2 PATENTEU M1831 I971 3,601 890 SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTORS ALBERT F PITYO WILLIIAM D. PITYO AFITORNEY METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR IFAIEIRIICATING CONTACTS AND ASSEMBLIING TIHIIEM IN GROUPS WITH CONNECTOR lBlLOClItIS The customary practice has been to place each individual contact assembly by hand into an opening provided in a premolded connector block in order to produce the final connector block assembly. The parts involved are small and the assembly operation is time s consuming, tedious and expensive.

In accordance with the present invention, contact units or assemblies are produced in a straight line operation and each assembly is automatically inserted into a barlike body of styrofoam plastic or the like. After each such insertion, the styrofoam body which serves as a temporary holder is shifted a prescribed distance along a linear path to produce a consistent and accurate spacing of succeeding contact assemblies which are inserted into the body or holder while the same is at rest. This process is continued until a predetermined number of contact assemblies are inserted into the temporary holder, consistent with the number of contacts required for a particular connector block. The holder with the accurately spaced contact assemblies therein is then shipped to a customer who possesses a holding fixture or clamp which closes upon the exposed ends of the contact assemblies and removes them as a group from the styrofoam holder and then inserts them as a group the openings ofa particular connector block having detent means to retain the contact assemblies. The contact assemblies are then unclamped and released from the fixture and the connector block assembly is complete.

In addition to eliminating the hand work of the prior art, shipping and inspection procedures are greatly simplified because of reduced handling and the fact that the contact as semblies are dealt with in groups of 50 or more rather than individually. From an economic standpoint, the method herein is far superior in every way to the prior art practice and there is no sacrifice in the quality of the work.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. l is a partly diagrammatic vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of apparatus for producing contact assemblies and inserting them individually into an indexable tempo rary holder of penetratable material.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the apparatus and holder including indexing means for the holder.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view ofa clamping fixture utilized in the method shown in association with the temporary holder.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a clamping fixture closed and gripping a group of contact assemblies after removal from the temporary holder and showing the place-- ment of the contact assemblies into a connector block.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view ofa completed connector block in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the same, the numeral designates a phosphor bronze tin-plated wire, preferably rectangular in cross section, fed from a coil, not shown, into a press II which includes a welding head 12, fragments of which elements are shown in FIGS. ii and 2.

At the contact welding head 12, a preferably round gold wire is fed from a coil, not shown, into the welding head 12, cut off to the necessary length, and inserted into a small pocket 17 of lower welding electrode 18. The gold element in the pocket 17 is thus transferred'under the phosphor bronze wire 10 and welded to the bottom of this wire by the coaction of lower electrode It with upper electrode 19. The welding process is substantially in accordance with the process dis closed and claimed in prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,830, issued July 5, [966, to A. F. Pityo. for METHOD OF PRODUCING LII AN ELECTRICAL CONTACT ASSEMBLY. As explained in this prior patent, a gold contact element is affixed to a phosphor bronze wire or ribbon precisely with a great saving of gold compared to conventional practice, and the same techniques are employed in the production of the contact assembly of the present invention. In the prior patent, the gold wire is fed transversely across the base wire or ribbon prior to welding. In the present method, the gold wireis fed parallel to the base wire and cut off so that the gold element is elongated in the direction paralleling the axis of the base wire and with this technique, an increased surface coverage of gold is obtained on the base stock without employing a larger amount of gold initially. Except for this variation, the welding process corresponds to the disclosure of the mentioned prior patent.

Following the welding step, the base wire 10 is advanced to forming dies 20, 211 and 22 of the press and the dies 20 and 22 coact to compress the base wire It) at 23 and flatten the gold contact element shown at 24 substantially in the manner disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 3A of Pat. No. 3,258,830. Substantially simultaneously, the die elements 211 and 22 coact to dimple form the base wire at two locations as shown at 25, in spaced relation to the contact element 24.

Following these operations, the base wire is advanced into the final forming dies 26 and 27 where the previously flattened contact 24 becomes rounded as shown at M and the previ ously compressed portion 23 is further formed or shaped as indicated at 28 in FIG. I. Following this final formation of the wire, the same is advanced longitudinally into cutoff dies 29 and 30 which coact to sever the base wire It) immediately rearwardly of its formation 28 and curved gold contact element 24 and this step, in effect, sewers and completes the fabrication ofa single contact assembly 31, typical of the multitude of identical assemblies produced by a repetition of the described steps in FIG. 1 in a straight line processing of the base wire and gold contact. Each identical contact assembly 31 is, in effect, an integral section of the phosphor bronze base wire formed and cut off to specification and dimpled at 25 intermediate its ends. Each element 31 includes a straight pin or shank portion 32 of considerable length for ultimate entry into a connector or terminal block 33 shown in FIG. 5.

Simultaneous with the feeding of the base wire lltl into the cutoff die structure 15, its leading pin or shank portion 32 produced by the formation and cutting off of the preceding contact assembly is inserted deeply into a barlike body portion 34 of rigid cellular material, such as styrofoam, or other like synthetic foam, or readily penetratable solid material. In some instances, balsa wood, cork or other natural materials could be substituted for the styrofoam but, the styrofoam is ideally suited to become a temporary holder for the contact assemblies 3i and is a very economical material. When the shank 32 is inserted in the styrofoam body 34;, it is held therein firmly and fixedly by the natural resiliency and gripping qualities of the material.

The styrofoam body or bar 3d is firmly seated in a linear indexing slide 35 having evenly spaced ratchet teeth as formed along one side thereof, and a dovetailed base portion 37 engaging with a fixed guide 38 forming part of the table it). The slide 35 and the styrofoam body 34; held within it extend transversely of the axis of base wire it) and each contact assembly 31, FIG. 2, and the slide 35 is indexed in a straight line transversely of the base wire by an indexing pawl 39 having any conventional drive means indicated diagrammatically at 40. The slide 35 and styrofoam body 3% are at rest when each assembly 31 penetrates into the body 34$ due to forward feeding of the wire It) as described. After cutting off of the assembly 31 from the main wire by the die apparatus 15, the body 34 and slide 35 are indexed transversely an exact predetermined step or distance so as to produce an even and precise parallel lateral spacing of the preceding and succeeding contact as semblies 31 in the styrofoam body. The formation of the contact assemblies 31 and their individual insertion into the styrofoam body 34 and the coordinated indexing or shifting of the styrofoam body continues until a predetermined number of assemblies 31 have been placed uniformly into the styrofoam body whose purpose is to serve as'a temporary holder for a row or group of the contact assemblies, which row or group may number up to 50 or more. The plural contact assemblies 31 are held fixedly and firmly in accurately and uniformly spaced relation in the temporary styrofoam holder I and are easily withdrawn therefrom at the proper time as will be described. When the shank portions 32 are inserted in the body or holder 32, the dimples 25 remain outside of the holder, as shown.

When the prescribed number of contact assemblies 31 have been inserted into the holder 34, the holder may be packaged for shipment to a customer, or in some cases the holder may simply be transferred to the next processing station at where the completed connector block assembly is being fabricated at one plant. In either instance, the next processing station involves a clamping tool or fixture 41 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 having a base plate 42 upon which is mounted a pivoted clamping jaw 43 supported on bearing extensions 44 of the base plate 42. The jaw 4 is operated by a suitable power cylinder 45 having an extensible and retractable rod 46 or by some equivalent means. The base plate is recessed at its leading edge to form a seat 47 for a rubberlike block 48 which receives thereon the projecting portions 49 of the plural contact assemblies 31 held by the temporary styrofoam holder 34. The rubberlike element 48 may be contoured to conform to the shape of the projecting portions 49 and a vertical shoulder 50 or edge on the base plate 42 assures accurate lateral alignment of the projecting tips 49 in the clamping fixture.

When the parts are properly positioned as in FIG. 3, the jaw 43 is closed into firm gripping relation with the contact assemblies 31, FIG, 4, and the shanks 32 are withdrawn from the temporary holder 34 and the latter may be discarded. While the group of contact assemblies remains firmly clamped, the prefabricated or premolded connector block 33 of conventional material is brought into position adjacent to the clamping fixture 41,'FIG. 4, and the shanks 32 are inserted in unison into and through the receiving openings 52 of the connector block, the spacing of which openings correspond close to the pitch or spacing of the contact assemblies 31. The dimple formations 25 of the contact assemblies enter the connector block 33 and interlock with conventional detent means therein so that the contact assemblies will not separate readily from the block and will be exactly and evenly positioned therein in all cases. The clamping jaw 43 releases the group of contactassemblies and the finished article as shown in FIG. consisting of the block 33 and contact assemblies is ready for packaging or use without additional processing. It will be understood that the connector block 33 will normally contain several rows of openings or sockets for several groups of the contact assemblies 31 produced and temporarily held in the styrofoam or like body, in accordance with the invention. The individual manual assembly of contact assemblies with the connector block is eliminated as much time is saved, not only in connection with assembling the parts, but shipping and inspection procedures are also simplified. The many features and advantages of the invention will now be appreciated by those skilled in the art without further description. It may be clarified that FIG. 4 shows the contact assemblies 31 only partly assembled with the block 33, whereas FIG. 5 shows the contact assemblies completely assembled with the formed terminal ends 28 and gold contact elements 24 positioned entirely inside of the socket openings of the terminal block and the shanks or prongs 32 projecting fully beyond the rear of the block. The construction of the block is conventional and need not be described in further detail.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A method of producing a connector block assembly comprising inserting pinlike contact assemblies individually into a body of readily penetratable material which serves as a tempo rary holder for a group of the contact assemblies, shifting said body a precise distance after each contact assembly is inserted therein and thereby positioning the body to receive the next succeeding contact assembly and continuing said inserting and shifting until a desired number of the contact assemblies is held in the body in uniformly and accurately spaced relation, delivering said body with the contact assemblies therein to a clamping station and clamping and holding the projecting ends of the contact assemblies being held within the body, removing the body from the contact assemblies while they continue to be clamped, and then inserting projecting portions of the contact assemblies while the same are clamped into receiving openings of a connector block.

2. A method of producing a connector block assembly according to claim 1, wherein said body of readily penetratable material is a semirigid cellular plastic body.

3. A method of producing a connector block assembly according to claim 2, wherein said body is a barlike body formed of styrofoam.

4. A method of producing a connector block assembly according to claim 1, and the additional preliminary steps of processing each contact assembly in a straight line process prior to inserting each contact assembly into said body.

5. A method of producing a connector body assembly according to claim 4, wherein said straight line process comprises feeding a base wire toward said body of penetratable material and during dwells in said feeding applying a noble metal contact to the base wire, forming the base wire and said contact and severing the base wire to produce an individual contact assembly, each contact assembly penetrating said body during the feeding of said wire to the severing station.

6. Apparatus for producing a connector block assembly comprising a penetratable body adapted to serve as a temporary holder for plural contact assemblies, linearly indexable support means for said penetratable body allowing the same to be shifted in precise steps along a linear path, and means to insert pinlike contact assemblies into the penetratable body individually when the body is at a dwell following each linear indexing thereof, whereby a group of contact assemblies may be temporarily supported on the penetratable body prior to further processing.

7. The structure of claim 6, and said body formed of a cellular plastic mass. I

8. The structure of claim 6, and additional means to produce each contact assembly as a unit prior to inserting it into said body.

9. The structure of claim 8, and said additional means comprising means to weld a noble metal contact onto a length of wire and means to feed the wire longitudinally from a source toward the penetratable body, means to form the wire and contact, and means to sever the wire near the contact to produce a complete contact assembly separate from said wire.

10. The structure of claim 6, wherein said indexable support comprises a linear slide having ratchet teeth thereon and having a pocket to receive and hold the penetratable body fixed with respect to the slide, and movable pawl means to cooperate with the ratchet teeth for shifting the slide in uniform linear increments of distance.

11. The structure of claim 6, and a clamping fixture having opposed clamping jaws of sufficient length to receive and grip projecting ends of the entire group of contact assemblies held by the penetratable body, whereby the group of contact assemblies may be separated from the penetratable body without disturbing the spacing thereof and may then be inserted into socket openings of a connector block.

12. The structure of claim 11, said clamping fixture having a recess in one jaw thereof and a resilient pad element in said recess forming a resilient seat for the projecting ends.

13. Apparatus for producing connector block assemblies comprising means to feed a base wire along substantially a straight line path, means to weld a contact to the base wire and to form the base wire and contact during dwells of the base wire along said path, means to sever the base wire during a dwell thereof to thereby separate complete pinlike contact assemblies from the base wire, a temporary holder body of readily penetratable material disposed near the severing means and being penetrated by the leading end of the base wire upon each feeding step of the base wire to the severing means, and means to shift the temporary holder body trans- 1 

1. A method of producing a connector block assembly comprising inserting pinlike contact assemblies individually into a body of readily penetratable material which serves as a temporary holder for a group of the contact assemblies, shifting said body a precise distance after each contact assembly is inserted therein and thereby positioning the body to receive the next succeeding contact assembly and continuing said inserting and shifting until a desired number of the contact assemblies is held in the body in uniformly and accurately spaced relation, delivering said body with the contact assemblies therein to a clamping station and clamping and holding the projecting ends of the contact assemblies being held within the body, removing the body from the contact assemblies while they continue to be clamped, and then inserting projecting portions of the contact assemblies while the same are clamped into receiving openings of a connector block.
 2. A method of producing a connector block assembly according to claim 1, wherein said body of readily penetratable material is a semirigid cellular plastic body.
 3. A method of producing a connector block assembly according to claim 2, wherein said body is a barlike body formed of styrofoam.
 4. A method of producing a connector block assembly according to claim 1, and the additional preliminary steps of processing each contact assembly in a straight line process prior to inserting each contact assembly into said body.
 5. A method of producing a connector body assembly according to claim 4, wherein said straight line process comprises feeding a base wire toward said body of penetratable material and during dwells in said feeding applying a noble metal contact to the base wire, forming the base wire and said contact and severing the base wire to produce an individual contact assembly, each contact assembly penetrating said body during the feeding of said wire to the severing station.
 6. Apparatus for producing a connector block assembly comprising a penetratable body adapted to serve as a temporary holder for plural contact assemblies, linearly indexable support means for said penetratable body allowing the same to be shifted in precise steps along a linear path, and means to insert pinlike contact assemblies into the penetratable body individually when the body is at a dwell following each linear indexing thereof, whereby a group of contact assemblies may be temporarily suPported on the penetratable body prior to further processing.
 7. The structure of claim 6, and said body formed of a cellular plastic mass.
 8. The structure of claim 6, and additional means to produce each contact assembly as a unit prior to inserting it into said body.
 9. The structure of claim 8, and said additional means comprising means to weld a noble metal contact onto a length of wire and means to feed the wire longitudinally from a source toward the penetratable body, means to form the wire and contact, and means to sever the wire near the contact to produce a complete contact assembly separate from said wire.
 10. The structure of claim 6, wherein said indexable support comprises a linear slide having ratchet teeth thereon and having a pocket to receive and hold the penetratable body fixed with respect to the slide, and movable pawl means to cooperate with the ratchet teeth for shifting the slide in uniform linear increments of distance.
 11. The structure of claim 6, and a clamping fixture having opposed clamping jaws of sufficient length to receive and grip projecting ends of the entire group of contact assemblies held by the penetratable body, whereby the group of contact assemblies may be separated from the penetratable body without disturbing the spacing thereof and may then be inserted into socket openings of a connector block.
 12. The structure of claim 11, said clamping fixture having a recess in one jaw thereof and a resilient pad element in said recess forming a resilient seat for the projecting ends.
 13. Apparatus for producing connector block assemblies comprising means to feed a base wire along substantially a straight line path, means to weld a contact to the base wire and to form the base wire and contact during dwells of the base wire along said path, means to sever the base wire during a dwell thereof to thereby separate complete pinlike contact assemblies from the base wire, a temporary holder body of readily penetratable material disposed near the severing means and being penetrated by the leading end of the base wire upon each feeding step of the base wire to the severing means, and means to shift the temporary holder body transversely of the axis of the base wire a prescribed distance after each operation of the severing means to position another portion of the holder body for receiving another contact assembly severed from the base wire.
 14. The structure of claim 13, and said temporary holder body formed of a barlike section of cellular material adapted to exert a firm gripping force on a pinlike object penetrating the holder body to a substantial depth. 